The Fall

Lights beam, pierce through dark night.
Snowflakes float, then fall.

Driving to baker with my roommate,
missed the exit, too busy babbling,
tires slipped, lost control, tried to
downshift, too late, car smashed
through the guard rail, we were
falling to our deaths.

Heard the Kodo drum banging,
900 pounds of tree. In blur.

While falling
I pressed my forehead
against the window,
peered out, down
to the ground. Saw
the shivering ocean
nestled under a
white blanket.

He turned toward me and said,
"I'm not afraid of death,
I've already cleaned the kitchen."

I said, "I'm not ready, my
sister's coming to visit and I
don't think my mom could go
on, she just lost her brother."